Background: Major contributors to mortality and disability among patients diagnosed with end-stage renal disease are cardiovascular disorders. Initial manifestations of cardiovascular function may even be managed while dependent on dialysis. Those patients are prone to developing severe progressive cardiovascular events and pulmonary artery hypertension, which occur frequently during prolonged hemodialysis. The overall prevalence of these complications ranges from 19 to 70%. Objective: To assess right ventricle (RV) functions in chronic renal failure patients on dialysis by myocardial performance index RV inferred from tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) (MPI-RV).
Patients and methods: The study involved 100 chronic renal failure patients on dialysis, proved by tissue Doppler echocardiography, in the cardiovascular Department of the Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University Hospital (Assiut), and the Cardiac Department of Al Helal Hospital (Sohage), during the period from November 2017 to May 2019.
Results: A noteworthy positive correlation was observed between duration of dialysis and RV diastolic values; however, no significant negative correlation was found between duration of dialysis and deceleration time (m/s); TV E/E' was not significantly correlated with duration of dialysis; the correlation between TV E/A and dialysis duration was significant.; frequency of dialysis was not significantly correlated with IVRT (m/s); and the frequency of dialysis did not exhibit a statistically significant positive correlation with TV E/A. Conclusions: TDI can detect RV function changes in hemodialysis patients at an early stage. Early diagnosis facilitates timely interventions, which are presently restricted to referrals for kidney transplantation or modifications in dialysis modality.